This week Liverpool city council leaders have handed in an application to refurbish the Cunard Building, with aims to relocate some of its staff later this year.

The project is expected to cost around £15m and will involve moving a number of Liverpool Vision staff into the space from their existing base at the Capital Building in the city’s commercial district.

As one of Liverpool’s Three Graces, painting the city’s iconic waterfront skyline, the final say must come from the government on wether the listed building is to be worked on.

Proposed plans are now ready to be presented to local planners, which include the renovation of the fifth floor into meeting rooms. Other floors are to become a series of new office facilities.

Council leaders are saying that along with the sale of Millennium House, the relocation operation will eventually save a “considerable” amount of money.

A spokesperson for Liverpool city council aid:

“Buying the Cunard Building is part of the invest-to-save strategy, which means the council invests money now to make long-term savings.

“Given the 58% cut in our funding from Government we have to do things differently and we are making the best use of our capital resources, freeing up revenue to spend on essential services. We are having very positive discussions with private companies about letting space in the Cunard Building and this will result in significant ongoing financial benefits for the council.”

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Richard Kemp said the timetable was becoming tight, adding: “We don’t even have committee rooms in Millennium House now and there doesn’t seem any certainty about when we will actually move in. The move in principal is right but botched in execution.”

Source: Liverpool Echo